Guardians win second AL Central title in three years

ST. LOUIS – The Cleveland Guardians won their second AL Central title in three years on Saturday, another impressive accomplishment for new coach Stephen Vogt.

Cleveland clinched the title when the second-place Kansas City Royals lost 9-0 to San Francisco. Jose Ramirez and the Guardians had already secured a postseason spot, securing at least a wild card in the American League with a 3-2 home win over Minnesota on Thursday.

It is the franchise's fifth division title since 2016. Cleveland returns to the playoffs for the first time since losing an AL Division Series in five games to the New York Yankees in 2022.

Cleveland needed a win in St. Louis or a loss to Kansas City on Saturday to clinch the AL Central. Before the Guardians had even gotten into their night game against the Cardinals, the Royals lost at home in the late afternoon.

Kansas City overcame a 10-game deficit on June 25 to tie the Guardians at the top of the standings with a 6-1 win at Cleveland on August 27. But the Guardians rallied the next day with a 7-5 win to avoid a four-game sweep.

This began a seven-game losing streak for the Royals, which the Guardians pulled away from in September.

For Cleveland, it is the 12th division title, all since 1995 in the AL Central.

Cleveland is neck and neck with the AL East-leading Yankees for first place in the American League playoffs, but the Guardians are close to securing at least second place and a first-round bye.

Cleveland went 76-86 last year in Terry Francona's final season as manager. Vogt, a former All-Star catcher, was hired in November despite having no managerial experience.

Definitely looks like a wise decision at the moment.

Vogt is the fifth Cleveland coach to win at least 90 games in his first full season, doing so with Francona in 2013, Charlie Manuel in 2000, Al Lopez in 1951 and Tris Speaker in 1920.

Under the 39-year-old Vogt, Cleveland got off to a surprising start. After a 10-8 win over Baltimore on June 25, the team had a nine-game lead in the AL Central and a 51-26 record.